News

Smart Growth America is seeking a qualified consultant to manage the layout and visual design for both a physical report and supporting web presence of an upcoming report that details how the current approach to transportation perpetuates and exacerbates inequity, and leads to loss of community wealth-building.

The contract will run from (beginning date ASAP) through April 30, 2023. The release of the report is tentatively scheduled for late March / early April 2023.

About Smart Growth America

Smart Growth America is devoted to empowering communities through technical assistance, advocacy, and thought leadership to realize our vision of livable places, healthy people, and shared prosperity. This report is created in conjunction with SGA’s program, Transportation for America. Transportation for America is made up of local, regional, and state leaders who envision a transportation system that safely, affordably, and conveniently connects people of all means and ability to jobs, services, and opportunities through multiple modes of travel.

Background:

A report on equity in transportation planning, which focuses heavily on the history of racism in transportation planning (specifically the building of the interstate system) and the ways that current planning practices and processes continue to produce inequitable outcomes. The report takes a quantitative look at concrete examples of highways that were both built and unbuilt through heavily Black neighborhoods, with a significant opportunity for creative visuals to illustrate the qualitative side. The final product will be a 30-35 page report, with significant opportunities to create separate graphics specifically for a unique web presentation and social.

This project is slated for release in late March and design work will be underway ASAP.

Scope of work:

The scope is focused on the following key areas:

• Laying out the text of the report with images and infographics in organizational style
• Creating infographics based on important findings from the report and data
• Creating graphics that will help to share the report’s findings visually
• Creating and/or animating graphics optimized for web and video

Infographics *may* include (illustrative list):

• Side-by-side images: what the city looked like “then” vs what it looks like now
• Graphics illustrating the economic impact of transportation choices
• Graphic/video representation of demolishing of buildings as highways were built
• Graphic representation of how transportation rules and standards translate to projects that create danger or harm adjacent communities
• Graphic representation costs to people outside of cars when wide roads are prioritized / what a community prioritizing access to amenities looks like
• Graphic representation of who benefits / who is left out of transportation choices
• Graphic representation of exclusionary zoning/land use policy

Requirements

• A proven track record with graphic design, specifically related to
  • Collaboratively producing and laying out written reports with strong visuals
  • Creating from-scratch graphics, infographics, visuals, etc.
• Experience working with mission-based nonprofits that engage in policy-driven advocacy.
• A strong visual style, with examples of powerful visual storytelling and clearly organizing complex information about policy in ways that are clear and direct.
• Experience with producing reports that sync up with an organization’s established visual styles and brand.

Preferred qualifications:

• Some familiarity with transportation or land use issues.
• Demonstrated history of success with similar report design.
• Ability to work on a tight turnaround

Proposal submission:

Interested applicants should submit in an email to Steve Davis, AVP of Transportation Strategy, at [email protected]​ by midnight Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, February 12, 2023

1. A brief letter of interest describing your experience with similar work, your capabilities
2. Examples of past graphic design projects
3. A detailed proposal. Include estimated hours but also your hourly rate for any additional work on graphics
4. List of references
5. Key staff